Absenteeism
Islington and Hillingdon councils are implementing new strategies and recommendations to address rising school absenteeism.
Islington Council approved recommendations in November 2025 to improve school attendance, following a deep dive into persistent absence at secondary level. Hillingdon Council is also implementing new strategies to address rising absenteeism rates among school-aged children, particularly persistent absence, defined as missing 10% or more of school sessions.
Both councils initiated reviews due to concerning increases in persistent absenteeism, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. A report to Hillingdon Council noted its persistent absence rate is somewhat higher than national figures, validating the importance of its review. No upcoming meetings are currently scheduled to discuss this topic.
Key facts
- Islington Council approved recommendations to improve school attendance in November 2025. Source
- Hillingdon Council is implementing new strategies to address rising absenteeism rates. Source
- Persistent absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of school sessions. Source
- Hillingdon's rate of persistent absence is somewhat higher than national figures. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.